Translation initiation in Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) occurs via ribosome binding to an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) located in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of the viral RNA. This unique mechanism of translation initiation requires various trans-acting factors from the host. We show that human La autoantigen (La) binds to the CVB3 5'-UTR and also demonstrate the dose-dependent effect of exogenously added La protein in stimulating CVB3 IRES-mediated translation. The requirement of La for… CONTINUE READING